1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motorcycle with a guard frame that inhibits or prevents damage to outward-facing components of a vehicle body of the motorcycle in the event an overturn of the motorcycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in Japanese Publication No. 08-198158, for example, a motorcycle is provided with protectors for preventing damage to an outermost part of a vehicle body in the event of an overturn of the motorcycle. The protector of the motorcycle disclosed in Japanese Publication No. 08-198158 is attached to an outermost part of a body frame in a vehicle width direction to project toward the lateral side. In an overturn of the vehicle body, the protector will contact a road surface to support the vehicle body, thereby preventing damage to the other parts of the vehicle body due to their contacting the road surface. The protector can be formed of iron-based materials, aluminum alloys or synthetic resin-based materials.
Both lateral sides of the body frame with the protectors extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body on both lateral sides of a cylinder head of an engine, and are connected to both lateral sides of the cylinder head. That is, both lateral sides of the body frame are connected to one another via the engine.
In such a motorcycle, the protector will contact the road surface to support the vehicle body in an overturn of the motorcycle. The reaction force applied to the protector from the road surface will be transmitted from the ground side to the opposite side of the body frame via the cylinder head. Thus, this motorcycle can receive the above reaction force from the road surface on both lateral sides of the body frame.